New motorbikes causing stir among enthusiasts

Two electric motor bikes were unveiled today and they couldn't be aimed at more opposite ends of the market.

One is creating a stir among Harley Davidson enthusiasts, the other is a piece of Kiwi ingenuity.

The Kiwi story starts in a shed on a farm, where Daryl Neal spent his time, making bikes.

"This is my grandfather's super seven lathe, which we used to make bits and pieces," says UBCO co-founder Mr Neal. "You dont need a lot and you can pretty much do anything."

And that anything has turned into the UBCO two-wheel electric farm bike.

It's been on the market for about three years and now the company has gone to the next step - a road-legal version.

The UBCO bike is the world's only two-wheel drive electric bike. It has a range of up to 120km and a top speed of 50 kph, which means it can be classified as a moped, and you can drive it with any licence above a learner's.

"You dont have to have a motorbike licence," Mr Neal says.

BCO is making them in Shanghai, but now has an American distributor.

In New Zealand, they cost $8000, which is a bit more than the average farm bike, but there's no petrol or maintenance.

It couldn't be further removed from the sound of a Harley, but even that bastion of combustion may be replaced.

From next year, Harley Davidson will be making an electric hog and it's causing a stir.

This Kiwi UBCO may not have that cool sound, but it's fun that will only cost you a dollar for a fulll charge.